Folding chair.



J. J. WOLFE. FOLDING 0mm.

APPLICATION FILED 06127, 1908. v 7 947,090. Patented Jan.'18, 1910.

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/'j 7 Y H WWW J; J. WOLFE. FOLDING CHAIR.

APPLICATION FILED 00T.27, 1908.

Patented Jan 18, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

nmmtoz Witnesses- I WED gTAWENT rips.

JACOB J'. WOLFE, OF NORTH MAN-CHESTER, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO PEABODYSCHOOL FURNITURE COMPANY, OF NORTH MANCHESTER, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OFINDIANA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

FOLDING oHAia.

Patented Jan. 18, 1910.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JACOB J. VOLFE, a citizen of the United States,residing at North Manchester, in the county of Wabash and State ofIndiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in FoldingChairs; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference markedthereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to furniture, but more particularly to foldingchairs, and has for its object to provide a device of this characterwhich is constructed of short straight stock having no sword curvescutting across the grain of the stock, thus insuring great strength andrigidity.

A further object of my invention is to provide a folding chair which isso constructed and arranged that the same will fold flat and compact.

A. further object of my invention is to provide a folding chair in whichthe back is pivoted in such manner that said back will fold parallelwith the back posts in order to insure compact nesting of the chair.

"With this object in view my invention consists in the novelconstruction of the chair and particularly in the construction forhinging the front and back posts together.

My invention also consists in the construe tion of the chair whichprovides for a utilization of short straight stock in the manufacture ofthe chair.

My invention also consists in the construction for hinging andsupporting the back of the chair to the back posts; and my in ventionconsists in certain other novel fea tures of construction and incombinations of parts, all of which will be first fully described andafterward specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective viewof a folding chair constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2is a perspective view of the hinge and supporting iron for the back ofthe chair. Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing the chair in a foldedposition. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view showing the hinge and supportingiron in position when the chair is unfolded. Fig. 5 is a similar viewshowing the hinge and supporting iron in posi tion when the chair isfold-ed. Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken on Fig. 4. Fig. 7is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through the chair folded, andFig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view through the chair in an unfoldedposition. I

'Like numerals of reference indicate the same parts throughout theseveral figures in which-.

,1 indicates the chair which, as shown in the drawings, is constructedof short straight stock.

2 indicates the back posts or legs, 3 the front posts or legs, 4 theseat and 5 the back.

As shown in Fig. 1 a link 6 is pivoted at 7 on the outer side of each ofthe back posts or legs 2, each of said links 6 being provided with aperforation 8 near the free'end of each of the links 6 through whichperforations 8 a rod 9 extends.

Referring now to the front posts or legs 3 it will be seen that each ofsaid posts or legs is provided with a slot 10, through which slots 10the rod 9 passes, any suitable securing means 11 being provided on theends of the rod 9 for securely holding the rod 9 in position for tyingthe parts to-- gether as illustrated in Fig. 1.

Referring to the seat l it will be seen that the front posts or legs 3are aivoted thereto at 12 by means of a rod 13 (Fig. 8) which passesunder the seat 4t and securely ties the seat and front post or legs 3 inposition. It will also be seen that the seat 4: is provided at its rearcorners with a pivoting iron 14; by means of which the seat is pivotedto the back posts or legs 2, a small portion 4 of the seat 4 extendingbeyond the irons 14 to act as a lever for a purpose which will be presently described.

' Referring to the back 5 it will be seen that the same is provided withstiles 15, which stiles are pivoted to the back posts or legs 2 at thepoint 16. Arranged between the outer face of the stiles 15 and the innerface of the back posts or legs 2 are the hinge and supporting irons 17(Fig. 2). Each of said hingeand supporting irons is provided with asubstantially circular portion 18 centrally perforated at 19, saidcircular portion 18 being thicker in cross section than the extension20. Said circular portion lS'being interposed between the stiles 15 ofthe back and the back posts or legs 2 acts as a washer to hold the partsseparated to prevent chafing.

Referring now to Figs. 4, 5 and 6 it will be seen that the back posts orlegs 2 are provided with a recess 21, while each of the stiles 15 isprovided with a similar recess 22; and referring to Figs. 2 and 6 itwill be seen that the extension 20 on the hinge and supporting iron 17is provided at its lower end and on each side thereof with lugs orgudgeons 23 and 24, said lugs or gudgeons 23 and 24 being staggered onthe extension 20 as clearly shown in Fig. 6, the lugs or gudgeons 23entering the recess 21 in the back posts or legs 2, while the lug orgudgeon 24 enters the recess 22 in the stile 15 of the back 5. As willappear from Fig. 6 the recesses 21 and 22 are considerably larger thanthe lugs or gudgeons 23 and 24, and as the stiles 15 of the back 5 arepivoted to the back posts or legs 2 a short distance above the lugs 23and 24 the back 5 can swing a short distance on the back posts or legs 2as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 6, the lugs or gudgeons 23 and 24 actingas stops to limit the swing of the back 5.

Referring now to Fig. 8 it will be seen that the lower ends 25 of theback stiles 15 engage the rear edge 26 of the extension 4 of the seat 4when the chair is in an unfolded position, in such manner that the back5 is braced by the seat 4 and rigidly maintained in proper positionagainst any ordinary strain which may be put upon the back while in use.When the back stiles 15 are in position shown in Fig. 8 the lugs orgudgeons 23 and 24 on the hinge and supporting iron 17 are impingingagainst the sides of the recesses 21 and 22 as shown in Fig. 6, thusrigidly maintaining the back 5 in proper position as shown in Fig. 1.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 8 it will be seen that when the chair is inan unfolded position the cross rod 9 lies at the upper end of the slot10 in the front posts or legs 3, said rod 9 engaging the forward edgesof the back posts or legs 2 as clearly shown, thus rigidly maintainingthe parts in proper position. When, however, the chair is folded, asshown in Figs. 3 and 7, the front posts or legs 3 being carried up bythe seat 4 the cross rod 9 passes down through the slot 10 and lies inthe bottom of said slot as clearly shown in Fig. 3. This passage of thecross ed, as shown in Figs. 3 and 7, the front posts or legs 2 cause thecross rod 9 to lie under the bottom edge of. the seat 4 when the chairis in a folded position as clearly shown in Fig. 7, in such manner thatthe rod 9 does not engage the seat 4 nor lie across the same in order toprevent and obviate a neat and compact folding of the chair. On theother hand the rod 9 lying under the seat 4 when the chair is in afolded position (as shown in Fig. 7) allows the chair to fold neatly andcompactly.

W hen the seat and front posts or legs 2 are in a folded position thethe back 5, which is normally maintained and supported by the seat 4 inposition shown in Figs. 1 and 8, is swung parallel with the back postsor legs 2 as shown in Figs. 3 and 7 thus allowing the chair to be foldedneatly and compactly and causing said chair to occupy a minimum amountof space.

As will appear from the drawings all parts of the chair are constructedstraight, thus obviating the use of curved parts or pieces, which curvedparts or pieces cutting across the grain necessarily render those partsor pieces delicate and weak.

A further advantage derived from my construction is that all of theparts being of straight stock a great saving in the cost of themanufacture of the chair is obtained the back 5 being capable of aslight swing on the back legs 2 as before described and said back 5lying normally parallel with the back legs 2 when in a folded positionas shown in Fig. 7 it becomes necessary to cause the back 5 to tilt intoposition shown in Fig. 1 when the chair is in an unfolded position andto rigidly maintain the back in this tilted position while the chair isnot used. In order to accomplish this in a simple and efiicient mannerthe extension 4 of the seat 4 acts as a lever while the chair is beingunfolded, the edge 26 of said extension engaging the lower ends 25 ofthe back stiles 15 thus forcing said ends rearwardly, tilting the backand causing the gudgeons 23 and 24 to engage the walls of the recesses21 and 23 in the back and back legs.

Having thus fully described my invention whatIclaim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

LAfolding chair comprising front posts or legs, back posts or legs, aseat connected to said posts or legs, each of said front posts or legsbeing provided with a slot, a link pivoted to each of said back posts orlegs, a rod passing through each of said links and through each slot insaid front posts or legs, said rod lying in the upper ends of said slotsand in engagement with the said back posts or legs for maintaining thechair in an unfolded position, said rod lying at the lower ends of saidslots in said front posts or legs and under the said seat when the saidchair is in a folded position.

2. A folding chair comprising front posts or legs, back posts or legs, aseat pivoted to said back posts or legs and pivoted to said front postsor legs, said seat being arranged to be folded up against the said backposts or legs and to raise the said front posts or legs, each of saidfront posts or legs being provided With a slot, a link pivoted to eachof said back posts or legs, a rod passing through each of said links andthrough each slot in the said front posts or legs, said rod lying in theupper end of said slots in engagement with the said back posts or legsfor maintaining the chair in an unfolded position, said rod lying in thelower ends of the said slots in the said front posts or legs andentirely under the said seat When 10 said front posts or legs are raisedby said seat and the chair is in a folded position. i

In testimony whereof, I affix my signa ture, in presence of tWoWitnesses.

JACOB J. WOLFE. Vitnesses THos. A. PEABODY, L'oN D. FLEMING.

